Mtjelleu



April 15, 1924.

J. A. C. FICHTMUELLER PROCESS OF MAKING DECORATIVE METALLIC LEAF Filed March 28 1921 I hlucnro'z K 6? M l'lio zucu Patented Apr. 15, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JULIUS A. C. FICHTMUELLER, OF STAPLETON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO DIAMOND DECORATIVE LEAF COMPANY, OF STAPLETON, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PROCESS OF MAKING DECORATIVE METALLIC LEAF.

Application filed March 28, 1921. Serial No. 456,419.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l. JULH'H A. C. Flour MUELLER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Stapleton, in the borough of Richmond, county of Richmond, city and State of New York, have made a certain new and useful Invention Relating to Processes of Making Decorative Metallic Leaf, of which the following is a specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, which forms part of the same.

This invention relates to processes of mak ing decorative metallic leaf of the type referred to in my former-Patents, No. 976,994 of November 29, 1910 and No. 1,160,979 of November 16, 1915, by which the leaf after being sprayed or otherwise applied to the paper or other backing material is loosened or more or less freed from the backing as by passing the leaf and backing through an aqueous solvent when a water soluble material is used between the leaf and backing paper itself. Then the leaf and backing may be Wound or rolled up into a roll which allows still further time for the solvent to effect its loosening or dissolving action on the sizing then the end of the paper backing may be separated from the cooperating surface of the leaf and unwound for one or more convolutions, so that the previously exposed surface of the leaf is brought into contact with the unsizcd or plain back of the backing paper. Rolling the material effects sufficient adhesion between these contacting surfaces, so that the leaf may be unrolled or withdrawn from the roll in a substantially continuous manner, so that the previously connected and more or less sized surfaces of the backing and leaf are thus exposed on the outside of the compound strip or web. By passing this unwound web or strip through water or other solvent material, the size or adhesive may be dissolved or removed from these exposed surfaces of the stri or web to the desired extent after which t e web may be rewound, preferably in connection with a sheet of absorbent or blotting paper which facilitates the dry ng of the material, and also prevents sticking by bein interposed between the convolutions 0 the com ound strip of leaf and backing. Therea ter the continuous strip or web of decorative leaf may be unwound from this roll and wound up with a strip or poses. The continuous and substantially uniform character of the decorative leaf of any desired color and material may be ad vantageously secured by forming the leaf on the backing by a spraying process as referred to in my former patents. or if desired other forms of application of the liquid material may be used as therein referred to. Also while the water soluble side or face of the backing paper on which the leaf is sprayed or formed is desirable for many purposes, yet other forms of smooth or sized surfaces may be used for this backing material and wax or other substantially smooth or other impervious coatings may in some cases be employed, the leaf being removed from the backing after formation thereon by the use of suitable solvent or heat treatment or both as is referred to in my former patents in greater or less detail.

In the accompanying drawing showing in a somewhat diagrammatic way illustrative apparatus for this purpose,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through a diagrammatic spraying or coating machine.

Fig. 2 is a similar diagrammatic view through the apparatus which may be used for loosening and rerolling the leaf and backing; and

Fig. 3 is a top view thereof.

Figs. 4 to 6 are diagrammatic views of these processes; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a roll of the completed leaf.

As is indicated in Fig. 1 the metallic or other decorative leaf may be continuously formed by a s raying process in the manner described in etail in my prior patents, by forming the leaf on a continuous strip of backing paper which may be drawn as needed from the supply roll A. This stri of paper may be carried beneath the gui 6 rolls m, arranged above the table or support M, so that this backing paper is held in substantial contact with the table and can be fairly taut as it is fed over the same. As

this backing. asses through-"or'unde'rthe or chamber M the leaf mas ra in h P y g ayed or applied to the upterial may be .81)

' per .sized surface of this backingpaper manually directed or other spraying appa: .ratus, so as to form the leaf a on th1s back ing. The leaf dries or hardens as the backing travels over the table M which has sufficient length-so that the leaf and backing-1 may be wound into a roll A: at the end 0 this table for instance.

. As is indicated diagrammaticall in Fig.

2 the roll A of adhesively secure nected leaf and backing aper may be continuously unrolled and t e compound strip holds the leaf upon the backing, so that thesetwo stri s are largely or fully'loosened by the time t ey are rewound in moist condition for instance into the roll C. This roll C" is. then preferably unwound in re verse position as can be clearly seen by the leaf a comes in contact with the roll reference'to Figs. 4 to 6 whe'rethe composite strip is' indicated as comprising the acking a and the leaf 0:. The end of the backing a may be unwound as indicated in Fi 5 and'simultaneously separated from the a jacent surface of the leaf to which it has been previousl connected. Then when the backing has on unwound from the roll for a complete convolution the end1 of am or reverse side of this backing-a as s own in Fi 6, so that the two may thus be imwoun together from the roll C and adhere sufliciently to make ossible the subsequent treatment of the leaf and backing. As in dicated in Fig. 2 the roll C may be mounted above the tank D when this unrolling takes lace and the unrolled strip of leaf and acki g maybe carried down throu h the water or other solvent in the tank, the strip assing if desired beneath the guide j near the bottom of the tank. In this way the a-rtly dissolved or loosening sizing materia which is now on the expose orouter surfaces of this compound stri .may be washed off or removed by the liqui in the tank in connection if desired with -various agitating or washing devices such as thebrushesor'paddles J -which may be i formed with rubber-or other ribs or pro- .jections andfrotated in the tank adjacent to or. in contact with the" exposed surface of the backing strip, so' as to remove or wash the sizing material therefrom. If desired also a waterinlet. device H may be used referably atrabout' the point where the a'cking leaves this tank and may comprise a plate It, substantially in contact with the let I, which may have a guide backing alon which. jets of water or other solvent li ui may be directed from the inlet pipe Thus this solvent liquid may be continuously'supplied to the tank and continuall or otherwise removed therefrom by any suitable means as by the water outplate 1' adjacent the upper surface of the i'quid to receive this solvent 1i uid which may be thrown up by the brus or paddle J for instance. In some cases one or mbre brushes or agitatin' paddles between the descending and ascen ing web of material may be arranged to cooperate with the leaf (1 and are preferably slowly rotated out of contact therewith to agitate the water or other solvent and promote its action on the leaf so as to remove the size therefrom.

In some cases it is desirable to remove surplus water etc. from the compound strip after it comes out-of this tank D and for this purpose the strip may be carried over the roll f and beneath the cooperating wi r or doctor device F which may have a yie ding rubber end or face to suitably engage the leaf. The leaf and backin may then be wound up on the spool or rol E together with a strip or web of any suitable absorbent or blotting paper or other material, which may be wlthdrawn from the roll G aim of course these rolls or any of them may be rotated by hand through suitable cranks as indicated in Fig. 3 or by suitable belts or other power operatin connections as is well known in this art. 11 some cases however, especially where the size has been substantially completely removed from the backin and leafy-they may be more or less drie by removing the liquid therefrom and allowcourse the substantially continuous strip or web of leaf may be cut or slit to any desired .width at any suitable stage of the process and if desired the roll E may be rewound so that the continuous strip of leaf 0 may be wound u with tissue paper or other desired materlal a so as to form the commercial roll shown in Fig. 7. These commercial or service rolls of leaf and tissue paper etc., may comprise strips of, leaf of a number of hundred of feet in length which may be formed in this way of substantially uniform character soas to be free from objectional doubled or atching portions and are therefore decide ly advantageous for many purposes.

This invention has been described in connect-ion with a number of illustrative methods, steps, materials, conditions, apparatus, devices and orders of steps to the details of which disclosure the invention is not of ioa ' "as new 'and'what is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:

1. The process of removing sprayed decorative leaf from adherent paper backing sized withsoluble material on which the leaf has been formed, which comprises passing the backing with the adherent leaf thereon through aqueous solvent material to loosen, soften or dissolve the soluble sizing material on the backing, winding the leaf and backing into a roll and thereby causing the previously exposed surface of the leaf to slightly adhere to the unsized reverse side of the paper backing in the adjacent convolution, unrolling the backing from the roll to separate the adhesive sized face of the backing from the surface of the leaf to which it has been secured and expose the previously adhesively connected surfaces of the leaf and backing while the opposite surfaces of the backing and leaf are in substantial engagement, passing the unwound backing and leaf through aqueous solvent material to remove soluble adhesive from the exposed surfaces of the backing and leaf, removing moisture from the leaf and winding the leaf into a roll with a continuous sheet of interposed absorbent paper.

2. The process of removing sprayed decorative leaf from adherent paper backing sized with material on which the leaf has been formed, which comprises passing the backing with the adherent leaf thereon through material to loosen, soften or dissolve the sizing material on the backing, winding the leaf and backing into a roll and thereby causing the previously exposed surface of the leaf to slightly adhere to the unsized reverse side of the paper backing in the adjacent convolution, unrolling the backing from the roll to separate the adhesive sized face of the backing from the surface of the leaf to which it has been secured and expose the previously adhesively connected surfaces of the leaf and backing while the opposite surfaces of the backing and leaf are in substantial engagement, passing the backing and leaf through solvent material to remove soluble adhesive from the exposed surfaces of the backing and leaf and winding the same into a roll.

3. The process of removing decorative leaf from adhesively connected paper backing sized with soluble material pn which the leaf has been formed, which comprises treating the backing with aqueous solvent material to loosen, soften or dissolve the soluble sizing material on the backing, winding the leaf and hacking into a roll and thereby causing the previously exposed surface of the leaf to slightly adhere to the unsized reverse side of the paper backing in the adjacent convolution and unrolling the backing from the roll to separate the adhesive sized face of the backing from the surface of-the leaf to which it has been secured and. ex ose the previously adhesively connected sur aces of the leaf and backing while the opposite surfaces of the backing and leafare in substantial supporting engagement.

4. The process of removing decorative leaf from adhesively connected paper backing sized with material on which the leaf'has been formed, which comprises treating the backing to loosen the sizing material on the backing, winding the leaf and hacking into a roll and thereby causing the previously exposed surface of the leaf to slightly adhere to the unsized reverse side of the paper backing in the adjacent convolution and unrolling the backing from the roll to separate the adhesive sized face of the backing from the surface of the leaf to which it has been secured while the opposite surfaces of the backing and leaf are in substantial supporting engagement.

5. The process of removing decorative leaf from adhesively connected paper backing on which the leaf has been formed, which comprises treating the backing with the adherent leaf thereon with solvent to loosen or soften the adhesive material on the backing, winding the leaf and backing into a roll and thereby causing the previously exposed surface of the leaf to slightly'adhere to the reverse side of the paper backing in the adjacent convolution, unrolling the backing from the roll to separate the adhesive face of the backing from the surface of the leaf to which it has been secured and expose the previously adhesively connected surfaces of the leaf and backing while the opposite surfaces of the backing and leaf are in substantial engagement, passing the unwound backing and leaf through solvent material to remove soluble adhesive from the exposed surfaces of the backing and leaf and winding the leaf into a roll with a continuous sheet of interposed absorbent paper.

6. The process of removing decorative leaf from adhesively connected paper backing on which the leaf has been formed, which comprises treating the backing with the adherent leaf thereon to loosen or soften the adhesive material on the backing, winding the leaf and hacking into a roll and thereby causing the previously exposed surface of the leaf to slightly adhere to the reverse side of the paper backing in the adjacent convolution, unrolling the backing from the roll to separate the adhesive face of the backing from the surface of the leaf to which it has been secured while the opposite surfaces of the backing and leaf are in substantial engagement, and winding the leaf into a roll with a continuous sheet of interposed absorbent paper.

7 The process of removing a substantially lid continuous strip ofsprayed decorative leaf from adhesively connected backing on which the leaf has been formed, which comprises reducing the adherence between thebacking and the adherent leaf thereon, winding the leaf and\ backing into a roll and" thereby causing the reviously exposed surface of the leaf to s ightly adhere to an adjacent paper su porting strip and unrolling the backin f from t e backing while the opposite surface of the leaf and supporting strlp are in substantial engagement.

8. The process of removing sprayed decorative leaf from the sized paper backing on which it is formed, which comprises moistening and softening or loosenin the sizing material, winding the leaf and hacking into a roll, and disenga 'in the leaf from the sized surface of the bac ing paper onwhich it was formed and simultaneously unrolling the backing and leaf to bring the leaf into on agement with the opposite surface of the acking and removing'sizing from their exposed outer surfaces. 9.' The process of removing from the sized paper backing on which it is formed, which comprises softening or looseningb the sizing material, winding the leaf and acking into a roll, and disengaging the leaf from the sized surface of the backing paper on which it was formed and simultaneously unrolling the backing and leaf to bring the leaf into en agement with the opposite surface of the backing. 10. The process of removing decorative leaf from the coated surface of backing paper on which it is formed, which comprises loosening or dissolvin the coating on said backing paper to faci itate the removal of the leaf therefrom and continuously removing said leaf from the coated surface of said backing paper and simultaneously bringing it into supporting contact with the relatively non-adherent rear surface of said backingpaper-as the leaf and backing mg unrolled.

11. The process of removing decorative leaf from the coated surface of backing rom the roll to separate the yleaf decorative leaf paper are bepa r on which it is formed, which comso e rocess of removmgsprayed decorative lea from the coated surface ofibacksaid backing paper to facilitate the'removal of the. leaf therefrom and continuously 're- '5 moving said leaf from. the coated 1 surface ing pa er on which itis formed, which comprises oosening or dissolving the. 'coatingon ofa roll of said backing paper and simultaneously bringing it into contact; with a relatively non adherent paper surface as the leaf and backing paper are being unrolle'd.

13'. The process of removing decorative leaf from the coated surface of backing paper on which it is formed, which comprlses loosening or dissolvin the coating on said backing paper to facilitate the removal of the leaf therefrom and removing said leaf from the coated surface of a roll of said backing paper and simultaneously brin 'ng it into contact with a relatively non-a herent paper'surface. 14. The rocess of removing decorative leaf from t e surfaceof backing paper on which it is formed which comprises loosening the leaf on said backing paper therefrom and continuously removing said leaf from said surface of a roll of said backing paper and simultaneously brin ing it into supporting engagement wit another paper surface. 5 Y

15. The process of removing decorative leaf from the surface of backingon which it is formed, which comprises loosening the leaf on said backing therefrom and removing said leaf from said surface of said backing and simultaneously bringing it into suporting engagement ace.

V JULIUS A. CJFICHTMUELLER.

with another paper sur- 

